1. Field of the Invention
Conventionally, an empty-container pressing machine has been known that can crush empty containers, such as empty metallic cans, plastic bottles, etc., into small forms by means of footing force. Since the conventional empty-container pressing machine is designed simply to crush an empty container by means of foot power from above, it cannot easily crush steel cans that are relatively difficult to be deformed. Further, the conventional empty-container pressing machine has a problem that it requires a strong footing force even in crushing empty containers such as aluminum cans that can be deformed relatively easily.
2. Description of the Related Art
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an empty-container pressing machine capable of easily crushing even empty containers such as steel cans that are not readily deformable and of crushing aluminum cans and plastic bottles with a lighter force than in the conventional case.
In order to achieve the above object, an empty-container pressing machine according to the present invention comprises: a pedestal including a container bearing portion capable of carrying thereon an empty container in an upright posture; guide posts set up outside the container bearing portion; a foot-operated container presser vertically movable along the guide posts and capable of pressing and crushing the empty container on the container bearing portion from above; and a buckling mechanism for pressing the sidewall of the body of the empty container, thereby buckling the body of the empty container, before the empty container is crushed by means of the container presser.
The empty-container pressing machine of the present invention can easily crush even steel cans that are not readily deformable, and can easily crush aluminum cans and plastic bottles with a lighter force than a conventional empty-container pressing machine can.
Preferably, in this invention, the container bearing portion includes a recess having a bottom capable of supporting an empty can or bottle, the lower surface of the container presser is formed having a protrusion capable of holding the empty container in conjunction with the bottom of the recess, and the container presser is formed having a bottle mouth socket in which the mouth portion of the bottle can be inserted and an air vent through which air in the bottle can be discharged. According to this invention, there may be provided a high-versatility empty-container pressing machine that can crush empty cans, bottles, etc. of various types.
Preferably, in this invention, the bottle mouth socket of the container presser has a size large enough to allow a cap to be fitted onto the mouth portion of the bottle inserted in the bottle mouth socket, and the inner surface of the air vent is shaped so as to spread upward so that the cap can be screwed onto the mouth portion. According to this invention, the cap can be screwed onto the mouth portion of a plastic bottle such as a PET bottle with the bottle crushed in the axial direction, so that air can be prevented from getting into the bottle. Thus, the bottle can be prevented from restoring to its original size by means of its elastic restoring force, and can be kept in a crushed state.
Preferably, in this invention, the guide posts include a pair of upright pipes provided individually on the opposite sides, left and right, of the container bearing portion and formed individually having vertically extending slots in the respective opposite portions thereof, the upright pipes supporting the container presser for vertical movement; the buckling mechanism includes an operating member inserted in the upright pipes for vertical movement and urged upward by means of springs, and a pair of crank elements, upper and lower, adapted to be stored in the upright pipes when the operating member is raised and to project through the respective slots of the upright pipes toward the sidewall of the empty container when the operating member is lowered; and the operating member includes a grip portion capable of enabling an operation to step on the container presser and an operation to pull up the operating member with hands to be simultaneously carried out with one foot of a user on the container presser.
Preferably, in this invention, moreover, each of the upright pipes has a crankcase fixed therein, the crankcase having an opening vertically extending in a position corresponding to each of the slots and a guide hole extending along the opening, the lower end portion of the lower crank element is pivotally mounted on the crankcase by means of a pin in a position lower than the lower end portion of the guide hole, the upper end portion of the upper crank element is pivotally supported on the lower end portion of the operating member by means of a movable pin slidably in engagement with the guide hole, and the upper and lower crank elements may be coupled to each other for extension and contraction.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.